Method of simultaneously punching a hole and piercing an edge portion in the lip of a plastic bag



p 1966 "r. E. PIAZZE 3,274,369

METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHING A HOLE AND PIERGING AN EDGE PORTION IN THE LIP OF A PLASTIC BAG Original Filed June 19, 1962 38 as 39 w INVENTOR THOMAS E. DmzzE 627 M (wk g ATTORNEYS JIHWW imam: I:

United States Patent O poration of New York Original application June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 203,567.

Divided and this application Apr. 16, W64, Ser. No. 360,219

6 Claims. (Cl. 83-52) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in bag construction, and more particularly relates to a novel bag of the type which is dispensed from upstanding spindles and a method of and apparatus for forming the bag.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 203,567, filed June 19, 1962, now abandoned.

In order to greatly facilitate the pack-aging of items within a bag, a class of bag having an extended lip projecting beyond the mouth of the bag has been provided. These bags are disposed in stacked relation, and normally in the filling of the bag, air is directed into the mouths of the bags to effect the automatic opening thereof. The bags are normally retained in stacked aligned relation by the formation of suitable openings in the lips of the bags and the mounting of the bags on spindles which pass through the openings. However, removal of the bags from the spindles has posed a problem.

The problem of removing individual paper sheets from spindles was long solved by forming slits from the spindle receiving openings to the adjacent edge of the sheet. While such slits have proved a practical expedient with respect to paper sheets, the slits are not suitable in conjunction with plastic bags. The usual plastic bag material, such as polyethylene, Saran, Pliofilm, cellophane, etc., is of an extremely thin gauge, and consequently very limp. Accordingly, the material on opposite sides of a slit does not offer sufiicient resistance to the accidental removal of a bag or sheet from being pulled off of the associated spindles. Thus, bags, which are formed with slits extending from the spindle receiving openings to the adjacent edges thereof, may be accidentally stripped from the associated spindles during shipping, and, when using the customers apparatus, if there is a slight sticking together of the bags, when the uppermost bag is removed from the stack, the next lower bag is pulled therewith. Further, since the bags are opened by directing air under pressure into the mouths thereof, at times the bags are pulled off of the spindles by the force of the opening air.

Due to the disadvantages set forth above, attempts were made to eliminate the slits and to plate the openings in the lips of the bags a predetermined distance from the edges of the bags. It was easy to ascertain a proper distance for placing the openings with respect to the edges of the bag. However, another problem was encountered. Although paper may be readily stacked and a stack of paper placed against a stop in a punch press so that openings formed in the stack of paper will be the same distance from the edge of any one sheet, this is not true in the case of plastic film. It is virtually impossible to accurately stack plastic bags formed of a thin film. Accordingly, when the lips of a stack of plastic bags are pushed against a stop and a punch or punches forced through a stack of the lips, the openings formed within the lips are not all the same distance from the edge of the lip. For example, if it is desired that the periphery of an opening be disposed of an inch from the edge of a lip of a bag, when a plurality of plastic bags are stacked and the edges of the lips pushed against a stop of a punch, in the resulting punching operation, the distances of the openings from the edges will vary from the inch desired down to as low as inch. On the other hand, if the bags are stacked but not pushed against a stop, the punches being aligned with the uppermost bag only, then the spacing from the openings to the edges of the bags may vary between A inch to inch. It is quite apparent that this variation in width of material provides a like variation in the necessary pull to remove a bag. In order for a bag filling and dispensing operation to work smoothly, it is necessary that substantially the same pull be required to remove each and every bag. Therefore, the practices followed to date have not been satisfactory.

In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to eliminate the stacking problem found with respect to thin plastic film bags. In lieu of forming openings a predetermined distance from an edge of a lip of the bag, simultaneous with the forming of the openings, material is removed from the edges of the bag whereby the, newly formed edge portions of the bag are accurately spaced from the openings in the lips of the bags.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming openings in lips of thin plastic film bags wherein each opening in each bag in a stack is at the same distance from an associated edge portion of the bag, the method including the arrangement of the bags in a stack in the normal manner, and then punching the necessary openings in the lips of the bags, with there being simultaneously formed on the lips of the bags new edges which are accurately spaced from the openings and wherein the spacing between an opening and an adjacent new edge remains constant in all bags formed, the new edges being either in the form of a continuous cutoff of the previous edge, or the notching of the original edge.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel punch for accurately spacing openings in bag lips from adjacent edge portions thereof, the punch including at least one opening punch adapted to punch the customary spindle receiving opening in the bag, and a second punch associated with each opening forming punch for removing a portion of the edge of the bag whereby the spacing of an opening formed in the bag from an adjacent edge portion of the bag is constant for all bags formed with the punch, and the distance corresponding to the spacing between the two punches thereof.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a stack of bags formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a punch for punching and shaping lips of bags, as shown in FIGURE 1, a stack of bags to be punched being shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and shows further the specific details of construction of the punch, including the arrangement of two associated punch elements thereof, the bags to be punched being shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a lower portion of one of the punches and shows generally the details of mounting of a stack guide.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are plan views on reduced scales showing various bag modifications in accordance with this invention.

Refering now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a typical stack of bags formed in accordance with this invention, the stack being generally referred to by the numeral 10. Each bag of the stack 10 is referred to by the numeral 11 and differs from the usual bag in that it is provided with a lip 12 which projects beyond the normal mouth 13 of the bag.

In the illustrated form of bag, the lip 12 of each bag is provided with a pair of spindle receiving openings 14. Spindles project through the spindle receiving openings 14 so as to maintain the bags 11 in an aligned relation and to form the stack 10. The spindles 15 are carried by a bar or strip 16 which underlies the stack of lips 12, with the bar 16, the spindles 15 and the bags 11 all forming part of a package for shipment and use. It is to be noted that the. spindles 15 project up through the lips 12. When the entire package, mentioned above, is to be utilized, it is mounted in an inverted position from that shown so that the months 13 of the bags 11 are disposed uppermost. The projecting portions of the spindles 15 pass through openings in a support plate (not shown) and suitable clamp means engage the bar 16 to hold the stack 10 in place. This use of the bags 11 is conventional.

In accordance with the invention, when the spindle receiving openings 14 are formed in the lips 12, portions of the adjacent edges of the lips are removed so that there remains between each opening 14 and an adjacent edge portion of the lip material which is of a predetermined and constant width. This material is indicated by the reference numeral 17. In the example of bag shown in FIGURE 1, the width of the material 17 is maintained by forming semicircular cutouts 18 in the adjacent edge por- .tions of the lips 12. The arrangement shown in FIG- URE 1 is, however, only one of many arrangements.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 5 wherein it will be seen that there is illustrated a bag 19 having a lip 20 with spindle receiving openings 21 therein. While the openings 21 correspond to the openings 14, the adjacent edge 22 of the lip 20 is straight. This is accomplished by removing a strip 23, shown in doted lines, from the lip 20 at the time of the forming of the openings 21. Thus, the spacing between the openings 21 and the adjacent edge 22 of the lip 20 of each bag 19 remains constant. It is to be understood, however, that depending upon the particular alignment of the bags 19 in the stack in which they are formed, varying amounts of material will be removed from the lips 20; that is, the widths of the removed strips 23 will vary.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, it is to be seen that there is illustrated another form of bag, generally referred to by the numeral 24. The bag 24 has a lip 25 in which spindle receiving openings 26 are formed. The bag 24 differs from the bag 11 only in that in lieu of the semicircular cutouts 18 formed in the bags 11, relatively deep U-shaped cutouts 27 are formed in the bag 24. However, the adjacent portions of the openings 26 and the cutouts 27 remain at a constant spacing with the material separating each opening 26 and its associated cutout 27 being indicated by the numeral 28, and being of a constant width.

Referring now to FIGURE 7 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated another form of bag construction wherein the bag is generally referred to by the numeral 29. The bag 29 has a lip 30 in which the usual spindle receiving openings 31 are formed. The edge of the lip 30 adjacent the openings 31 has been provided with cutouts 32 so that a predetermined width of material is maintained, as at 33, in all bags 29. The cutouts 32 are generally triangular or V-shaped in outline. Otherwise, the bag 29 corresponds to the bags 11 and 24.

At this time, it is pointed put that this invention is not limited to any particular shape of cutout in the edge of a bag lip, or any particular cross-section of spindle receiving opening. The spindle receiving openings, although limited to circular in the illustrations, may be diamond-shaped, elongated, etc.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a die for forming the bag 11 in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. The die of FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 is generally referred to by the numeral 34 and includes a base plate 35 on which there are mounted in spaced parallel relation, as is shown in FIGURE 2, a pair of identical die units 36. The die units 36 being identical, the details of only one of the die units will be described hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 in particular, it will be seen that each die unit 36 includes a block 37 which rests upon the base plate 35 and which is removaly secured thereto by means of a pair of fasteners 38. The heads of the fasteners 38 are countersunk within the base plate 35. The block 37 has an opening 39 and an opening 40 extending entirely therethrough in parallel relation. The lower end of the opening 40 is enlarged, as at 41, to provide for chip clearance.

A horizontal notch 42, as is best shown in FIGURE 4, is formed in the block 37 and extends rearwardly from the front of the block 37. The notch 42 extends across the openings 39 and 40, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 3. The notch 42 defines a lower seat 43 on which a stack of bags 11 to be punched is seated.

The block 37 carries an adjustable bag hold-down member and combination stripper 44. The hold-down member 44 is vertically adjustable and includes a vertical leg 45 and a horizontal leg 46, the two legs being connected together by a diagonal intermediate portion 47. The vertical leg 45 is provided with a vertical notch 48 which receives a fastener 49 threaded into the forward part of the block 37 above the notch 42. A washer 50* is carried by the fastener 49 and bridges the notch 48 so that the fastener 49 may be utilized in the clamping of the leg 45 against the block 37 in a vertically adjusted position.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 3 in particular wherein it will be seen that the horizontal leg 46 of the combination bag hold-down and stripper 44 is provided with openings 51 and 52 which are disposed intermediate the ends of the openings 39 and 40 and through which punch members 53 and 54 are intended to pass. The punch members 53 and 54 are vertically reciprocable in the openings 39 and 40, and cooperate with lower portions of the openings 39 and 40 immediately below the seat 43 to effect a punching operation on the stack of bags 11 positioned within the notch 42.

Each punch unit 36 includes a lower clamp block 55 which is provided with a large opening 56 and a smaller opening 57 therethrough. The punch member 46 has a reduced upper portion 58 which loosely passes through the opening 56. On the other hand, an upper portion of the punch member 54 is snugly received within the opening 57 due to the fact that the right portion of the clamp block 55 is split and a clamping fastener 60 extends therethrough.

An upper clamp block 61 rests upon the lower clamp block 55 and has an enlarged opening 62 therethrough in which an upper portion of the punch member 54 is freely positioned. The clamp block 61 also includes an opening 63 in which the reduced upper portion 58 of the punch 53 is snugly seated. The left half of the clamp block 61 is of a split construction and is provided with a clamping bolt 64 which effects the clamping of the punch extension 58.

It is to be noted that the clamp block 61 directly engages the clamp block 55. The clamp block 55 is substantially locked against movement relative to the clamp block 61 by means of a collar 65 which overlies the clamp block 61 and which is adjustably secured to the upper portion of the punch member 54 by means of a setscrew 66 which secures the collar 65 to the upper portion of the punch member 54 and which rests upon the upper surface of the clamp block 61.

The downward movement of the punch members 53 and 54 to the positions illustrated in FIGURE 3 is resisted by coil spring 67 which are seated in vertical bores 68 formed in upper portions of the block 37 and opening through the upper ends thereof. The springs 67 bear against the underside of the clamp block 55 and serve to effect the upward movement of the punch members 53 and 54, together with the clamp blocks 55 and 61 and the collar 65 as a unit.

It is to be noted that the punch members 53 and 54 are illustrated in their lowermost positions with the clamp block 55 engaging the upper end of the block 37. The springs 67 will return the punch members 53 and 54 upwardly from the positions illustrated in FIGURE 3. In order to limit the upward movement of the punch mem- 'bers 53 and 54, an upper rear portion of the block 37 is notched, as at 69. An upright 70 is seated in the notch 69 and is secured to the rear of the block 37 by means of a fastener 71. The upright 70 carries a stop member 72, which is secured thereto by means of a fastener 73 and which is engageable with the upper surface of the clamp block 55 to limit the upward movement thereof.

It is to be noted that the base plate 35 is provided with an opening 74 therethrough. The opening 74 underlies the openings 39 and 41 of the two punch units 36 and the material removed during the punching operation is free to fall through the opening 74.

Operation In the use of the punch 34, the bags to be operated upon are stacked in the proper quantity for punching, after which a stack of the bags 11 is moved into the notches 42. After the bags 11 have been so positioned, means are brought to bear against the upper ends of the punch member extensions 58 to simultaneously urge the two punch members 53 downwardly. The punch members 53 carry the punch members 54 downwardly therewith so that two dual punching operations are carried out at the same time. The punch members 53 and 54 are moved downwardly until such time as the lower clamp member 55 comes into engagement with the upper surface of the block 37. During this downward movement of the punch members 53 and 54, the bags 11 are engaged by the punch members 53 and 54. The punch members 54 form the necessary spindle receiving openings, such as the openings 14, while the punch members 53 form the semicircular cutouts 18,

It will be readily apparent that since a multiple punching operation takes place with respect to each of the openings 14, it is not necessary that all of the bags to be punched are perfectly aligned with each other in a stack. The use of the multiple punch members of the punch 34 assures that the same Width material exists between each cutout and the associated edge of the bag.

When the extensions 58 are released, the coil springs 67 urge the punch members upwardly with the result that there is a stripping action as the punch members move upwardly. Once the punch members have risen above the stack 10, the finished stack of bags can be removed.

Immediately after the punching operation has been completed, the spindles 15 of the bar 16 are inserted through the openings 14 and serve to both hold the punched stack during shipment thereof and aid in the mounting of the stack of bags during the dispensing thereof.

In view of the fact that the width of material disposed between each spindle receiving opening and an edge of an associated lip is constant, it will be seen that suificient and uniform control over the removal of the bags is obtained. The bags are sufficiently and uniformly held in place on the spindles 14 to withstand the necessary handling thereof, but, at the same time, the resistance to removal of an individual bag is not too great. This, coupled with the fact that the bags are normally manually loaded and removed, makes it highly desirable that a moderate and uniform pulling force be utilized in tearing every bag from the spindles. The punch 34 and the use thereof assures this.

At this time, it is pointed out that the punch members 53 and 54 will have configuration in accordance with the material to be removed from the bags. In the bag of FIGURE 5, it will be necessary that the punch member 53 be in the form of a continuous punch member which extends between the two punch units 36 and is a part thereof. In other instances, only the cross-section of the punch member may be varied.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrate-d and described here, it is to be understood that minor modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of forming an opening within the lip of a plastic bag formed of thin gauge sheet material, which opening is a predetermined distance from a transverse lip defining edge portion of said bag, said method comprising simultaneously removing two adjacent portions of said bag lip, one of said portions defining said opening while another of said portions defines a notch disposed along said transverse edge and spaced a predetermined distance from said opening along a line substantially perpendicular to the transverse edge of the lip so as to leave material between said opening and said notch having a longitudinal extent equal to said predetermined distance.

2. The method of forming openings within the lips of a stack of registered plastic bags formed of thin gauge sheet material, which openings are a predetermined distance from their respective transverse lip defining edge portions, said method comprising simultaneously removing adjacent portions of said bag lips, some of said portions defining said openings while other of said portions define notches disposed along said transverse edge and each notch being spaced a predetermined distance from a respective one of said openings along lines substantially perpendicular to the transverse edge of the lip so as to leave material between said openings and said notches having a longitudinal extent equal to said predetermined distance.

3. The method of forming an opening within the lip of a plastic bag formed of thin gauge sheet material, which openings is separated from the transverse lip defining edge of said bag by material having a predetermined longitudinal extent, said method comprising simultaneously removing a portion of said lip to define said opening and piercing at least that portion of said transverse edge which is longitudinally aligned with said opening.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said opening ing is of a circular configuration and the pierced portion of said transverse edge is of a partially circular configuration.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the secondmentioned pierced portion extends entirely across said lip to define a new lip edge spaced the predetermined distance from the lip opening.

6. The method of *forming an opening Within the lip of a plastic bag formed of thin gauge sheet material, which opening is a predetermined distance from a transverse lip defining edge portion of said bag, said method comprising the steps of positioning the plastic bag lip on a support element and then simultaneously removing by punching two adjacent portions of said bag lip, one of said portions defining said opening While another of said portions defines a notch disposed along said transverse edge and spaced a predetermined distance from said opening along a line substantiall perpendicular to the transverse edge of the lip so as to leave material between said opening and said notch having a longitudinal extent equal to said predetermined distance.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1873 Harrington et a1. 83-620 X 1/1887 Stetson a 83683 3/1914 Rowe 83-618 6/1934 Mann 8339 11/1935 Underwood 83683 5/1955 Soave 83-39 FOREIGN PATENTS 10/ 1934 Great Britain.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

3. THE METHOD OF FORMING AN OPENING WITHIN THE LIP OF A PLASTIC BAG FORMED OF THIN GAUGE SHEET MATERIAL, WHICH OPENINGS IS SEPARATED FROM THE TRANSVERSE LIP DEFINING EDGE OF SAID BAG BY MATERIAL HAVING A PREDETERMINED LONGITUDINAL EXTENT, SAID METHOD COMPRISING SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING A PORTION OF SAID LIP TO DEFINE SAID OPEN- 